QUEEN OF THE SEA

With mixed emotions, Caitlin Cruz boards the Wandering Princess for a weeklong cruise.

Ever since her parents’ amicable divorce, Caitlin and her older brother, Dylan, have shuttled between Dad’s condo near Orlando and Mom’s seaside cottage. Dad was recently hired as a doctor on a cruise ship, and he invites the kids along to spend a week on the ship. Caitlin’s initially perturbed at the prospect of more change, but she’s cheered when Dad says she can bring her bearded dragon, Peaches. She and Dylan soon meet twins Max and Olivia Leone, the chef’s grandchildren, who show them the ropes. Caitlin quickly becomes overwhelmed, and after Max dubs her and Dylan “newbies,” she feels pressured to prove she truly belongs. After the kids have a few run-ins with guests on the cruise, Caitlin frets even more, and when a crisis arises, she attempts to run away. Eschmann maintains a lively tone as the youngster becomes more confident with help from an unexpected new friend. Caitlin’s a creative, inspired protagonist whose relatable anxieties play out against a fun backdrop; readers will especially enjoy excerpts from her What If? journal, where she poses quirky questions and speculates about those she meets. Some may look askance at the fact that Max’s baldness becomes a mystery that Caitlin attempts to solve, and a few plot points strain credulity. Caitlin and her family are brown-skinned and cued Latine; other characters’ ethnicities aren’t specified.

A seaworthy series starter helmed by a resolute young protagonist.